France evacuates thousands as fires displace a third of a million in southwest Europe

Firefighters battle a blaze outside Lanton, during wildfires in southwestern France, Tuesday, July 28, 2026. Emma Da Silva/AP hide caption toggle caption Emma Da Silva/AP LEGE-CAP FERRET, France — French authorities ordered 4,000 more people evacuated from tourist sites along its Atlantic coast on Tuesday, widening what may be France's largest peacetime evacuation as returning heat threatened firefighters' fragile hold on a vast wildfire west of Bordeaux. Fresh flames erupted later Tuesday near Grand Crohot, a popular Atlantic beach on the Lège-Cap-Ferret peninsula, local authorities said. A fleet of 23 planes and helicopters — up from 18 — dropped water and fire retardant as crews fought to keep the renewed flames from spreading. "The situation remains complicated. That's clear. We're not out of the woods," Gironde prefect Sophie Brocas said. She said that about 60,000 residents who were evacuated as a precaution from Le Haillan and parts of Mérignac and Eysines outside Bordeaux's ring road could return on Tuesday. No fires had broken out in the three areas, but residents were told to keep their mobile phones on and emergency bags packed. The opposing movements — thousands ordered...